The Hive - Cruft PBEM (Japan, Scen 2 Beta + Stacking Limits)

[Captain Cruft]

14 July 1944

The unit at Vinh has been bombed heavily by seemingly every 2E bomber in the vicinity.

Meanwhile the Allied CV fleet looks to be heading for Brunei.

[Captain Cruft]

Hong Kong

I would really like not to lose this base. That's probably not possible but hopefully it should cost him dearly.

There are now 6 divisions present, although 3 of these are the beaten up ones from Canton. Total AV is currently 1,777 and forts are at level 8. His horde is one hex away and apparently not moving. Sonias are bombing on a daily basis, to quite good effect.

[Captain Cruft]

15 July 1944

A brave sub puts a torpedo into a CV but pays for it.

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Sub attack near Jesselton at 67,85

Japanese Ships
SS I-154, hits 19, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CV Olustee, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB New Jersey
BB South Dakota
CA Pensacola
CL Denver
CLAA San Juan
CLAA San Diego
DD Anthony
DD Charles Badger
DD Bache
DD Charles Ausburne
DD Aulick

[Captain Cruft]

19 July 1944

He has re-taken Tourane, my unit at Vinh has failed to take the base and it doesn't look like Hue will hold out for long either.

[Captain Cruft]

20 July 1944

A really excellent result at Pingsiang today.

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Ground combat at Pingsiang (82,54)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 148339 troops, 806 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 4534

Defending force 9102 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 337

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 1529

Japanese adjusted defense: 1901

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
639 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
4950 casualties reported
Squads: 196 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 18 (12 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
37th Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
75th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
36th Div Engineer Battalion
XV Corps Engineer Battalion
10th Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
10th Group Army
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
7th Artillery Regiment
1st Artillery Regiment
35th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment

Defending units:
64th Division

[Captain Cruft]

21 July 1944

I had sent 5 subs to Cam Ranh Bay to lay mines. Unfortunately two of them got sunk by Commonwealth destroyers, but a third managed to put two fish into the Prince of Wales.

The army troops in Indochina are still hanging on (just), and there are two more sacrificial units on the way. I am very pleased at how this operation has slowed his advance into China down.

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Sub attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 64,72

Japanese Ships
SS I-44, hits 11

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Warramunga
DD Arunta
DD Rapid
DD Tjerk Hiddes

SS I-44 launches 6 torpedoes at BB Prince of Wales
DD Rapid fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Tjerk Hiddes attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tjerk Hiddes attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tjerk Hiddes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tjerk Hiddes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tjerk Hiddes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tjerk Hiddes attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tjerk Hiddes is out of ASW ammo
DD Tjerk Hiddes is out of ASW ammo
DD Tjerk Hiddes is out of ASW ammo
Escort abandons search for sub

[Captain Cruft]

Also today the last 3 Unryu class CVs arrived, which means that apart from the Ibuki my carrier fleet is now all on the map. It's about 1,000 planes in total.

[Cribtop]

Are you concerned the Allies may just seize airfields in China to allow a strategic bombing campaign in the Home Islands? Could he avoid the tsunami of assets you've held back by adopting this strategy and never exposing his fleet in an invasion of islands in the Hive?

[Captain Cruft]

I dare say that might be part of his plan, but he has yet to move any aircraft beyond Liuchow, despite having several airfields available. The "Kiungshan Gambit" seems to be working well, and he is focused on that area for the time being.

[Cribtop]

The downside to this from the Allied perspective is unless he walks all the way to Korea he will need to invade some islands in order to get in fighter escort range.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

The downside to this from the Allied perspective is unless he walks all the way to Korea he will need to invade some islands in order to get in fighter escort range.

This. He cannot hope to achieve good effect in a strat bombing campaign if he cannot get fighters in escort, especially if he cannot apply pressure anywhere else. However, I would be concerned about the Allies being able to get tons of VPs by destroying the IJA in China and capturing places like Shanghai. That may be just enough to get him enough VPs for autovictory by the end of 1945.

[Captain Cruft]

22 July 1944

His huge stack has arrived at Hong Kong. I am going to continue bombing it, despite the UH terrain, and also try an experimental naval bombardment with some Es which happen to be nearby.

He also has a small stack at Kanhsien (Clear terrain) without much flak. I am going to see if the 300+ Oscars at Takao can do any damage to it. The range is 8.

Indochina has reverted to Allied control.

Liuchow remains his most advanced airbase in China.

I am flying recon over Tulagi next turn, with some recently arrived long-range Myrts. Truk remains pristine, albeit without a drop of fuel. This could be useful.

[Sangeli]

If you can get air suppression from bombing and are able to bring in supply Hong Kong could hold out for a while. I'm not sure I would have opted to defend the base in open plains, but it has a shipyard that would be very useful in Allied hands if he tries to break into The Hive for heavily damaged ships. The longer you can deny him the base the better.

What's the defensive plan in China now? I'm concerned about the gap in your defenses between Kukong and the coastal bases which has a good road going right in between. Doesn't look like you have much stopping a drive along that road until Hangchow even though there's a nice 3x non-base hex NE of Foochow that would be a pretty good blocking position and another one further west that is north of Amoy. I would get defenses to one of those ASAP in case he opts to bypass Hong Kong and continue east.

[Captain Cruft]

23 July 1944

Bombardments from both sides at Hong Kong. Pleasing results.

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Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10126 troops, 216 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 2042

Defending force 178708 troops, 2850 guns, 3645 vehicles, Assault Value = 5318

Japanese ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 21 (8 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Hong Kong Def Force
21st Division
55th Division
38th Division
60th Division
104th Division
30th Division
3rd Air Division
53rd Field AA Battalion
75th Field AA Battalion
25th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
20th RF Gun Battalion
54th Field AA Battalion
9th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
11th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
29th Army
28th Army
52nd Field AA Battalion
16th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
43rd Const Co
1st JAAF Base Force
10th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
Hong Kong Special Base Force
2nd Shipping Engineer Regiment
Canton Special Base Force
7th JAAF Base Force
47th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
19th Indian Division
7th Australian Division
11th Indian Division
254th Armoured Brigade
25th Indian Division
81st (West African) Division
38th Infantry Division
20th Indian Division
18th British Division
3rd New Chinese Corps
28th (East African) Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
2nd British Division
14th Chindit Brigade
82nd (West African) Division
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
Provisionl Tank Brigade
255th Indian Tank Brigade
60th Chinese Corps
73rd Chinese Corps
5th Indian Division
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
163rd Light AA Regiment
IV Indian Corps
88th Medium Regiment
14th Army
6th Medium Regiment
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
8th Medium Regiment
3rd West African AA Regiment
17th Indian Light AA Regiment
6th Mixed A/T Mtr Regiment
Southeast Asia
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Field Regiment
XXXIII Indian Corps
20th Artillery Regiment
77th Heavy AA Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
22nd Artillery Regiment

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Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 161858 troops, 2725 guns, 3023 vehicles, Assault Value = 5276

Defending force 74314 troops, 932 guns, 537 vehicles, Assault Value = 2040

Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
644 casualties reported
Squads: 26 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 29 (13 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 43 (19 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division
255th Indian Tank Brigade
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
7th Australian Division
82nd (West African) Division
254th Armoured Brigade
81st (West African) Division
11th Indian Division
20th Indian Division
73rd Chinese Corps
Provisionl Tank Brigade
3rd New Chinese Corps
28th (East African) Brigade
60th Chinese Corps
38th Infantry Division
25th Indian Division
18th British Division
14th Chindit Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
19th Indian Division
5th Indian Division
IV Indian Corps
5th Field Regiment
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd West African AA Regiment
20th Artillery Regiment
17th Indian Light AA Regiment
163rd Light AA Regiment
6th Mixed A/T Mtr Regiment
Southeast Asia
14th Army
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
77th Heavy AA Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
8th Medium Regiment
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
88th Medium Regiment
XXXIII Indian Corps
22nd Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
38th Division
Hong Kong Def Force
21st Division
55th Division
60th Division
104th Division
30th Division
52nd Field AA Battalion
9th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Air Division
43rd Const Co
54th Field AA Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
10th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
28th Army
25th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
Hong Kong Special Base Force
11th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
29th Army
75th Field AA Battalion
2nd Shipping Engineer Regiment
20th RF Gun Battalion
1st JAAF Base Force
7th JAAF Base Force
53rd Field AA Battalion
Canton Special Base Force
16th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
47th JAAF AF Bn

[Sangeli]

Well there are stacking limits in your game...not sure why your opponent thought it would be a good idea to go over the limit. Until he pull some out he's going to be taking a beating every bombardment.

[Captain Cruft]

I doubt he is over-stacked. The number of units is about the same as I have, and I am only using 80,000 of the 160,000 limit.

Here is the KB.

[witpqs]

In any event over-stacking is penalized, not forbidden. It can be done against ones will, by having units retreated into areas that are then over-stacked. That nicely parallels the real life situation of clogged roads and so forth. Over-stacking can also be done very deliberately, when the player has the supply to support it and needs to concentrate the extra firepower. That also nicely parallels real life. For all the imperfections/shortcomings everywhere in the game and certainly in stacking, when you understand it that way you see just how well implemented it really is.

Be aware that your opponent can over stack and almost certainly will deliberately do so at certain times!

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

I doubt he is over-stacked. The number of units is about the same as I have, and I am only using 80,000 of the 160,000 limit.

Here is the KB.

Aren't there coordination penalties for having so many CVs in one TF?

[Captain Cruft]

Yes there are.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

Yes there are.

So ... will you go to battle in a 25 ship TF? What's the advantage there?